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New Interstate 885 in Durham

Started by bob7374, August 19, 2014, 11:55:04 AM

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bob7374

Here's some of the clearing being done along the Durham Freeway (photo from Adam Prince):


More photos are on my Future I-885 page:
http://gribblenation.net/ncfutints/fut885.html


orulz

#51
I think I posted this previously here, but if the I-885 designation is approved, it raises the question of how to designate the remaining portion of the Durham Freeway through downtown Durham. I think the official plan is to maintain the NC147 designation but I don't really like that plan.

I think it should be signed as US70, and the new EEC should then be designated as (I-885 south/US70 west) / (I-885 north/US70 east). To me this makes it clearer that the downtown portion of the Durham Freeway can serve as an alternate route to get to Raleigh from points west.

In fact, draw a straight line from the point where the Durham Freeway diverges from I-85 (I-85 exit 172) to the point where US70 intersects the Raleigh beltline (I-440 exit 7). My proposed US70 route would follow that line almost exactly, and as we all know, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line - a point evidently lost on NCDOT planners when they routed I-40 through Orange and Durham counties.

The tolled portion of NC147 in RTP should then be re-signed as NC885. This would relegate the NC147 designation to the history books.

WashuOtaku

Quote from: orulz on June 22, 2015, 05:05:32 PM
I think I posted this previously here, but if the I-885 designation is approved, it raises the question of how to designate the remaining portion of the Durham Freeway through downtown Durham. I think the official plan is to maintain the NC147 designation but I don't really like that plan.

I think it should be signed as US70, and the new EEC should then be designated as (I-885 south/US70 west) / (I-885 north/US70 east). To me this makes it clearer that the downtown portion of the Durham Freeway can serve as an alternate route to get to Raleigh from points west.

In fact, draw a straight line from the point where the Durham Freeway diverges from I-85 (I-85 exit 172) to the point where US70 intersects the Raleigh beltline (I-440 exit 7). My proposed US70 route would follow that line almost exactly, and as we all know, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line - a point evidently lost on NCDOT planners when they routed I-40 through Orange and Durham counties.

The tolled portion of NC147 in RTP should then be re-signed as NC885. This would relegate the NC147 designation to the history books.

To answer the question, the plan is for NC 147 to stay.  US 70 already bee-lines straight to I-85, no reason to reroute it back through downtown Durham.

wdcrft63


Quote from: orulz on June 22, 2015, 05:05:32 PM
My proposed US70 route would follow that line almost exactly, and as we all know, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line - a point evidently lost on NCDOT planners when they routed I-40 through Orange and Durham counties.

The I-85/NC 147 route, from the I-40 fork in Orange County to I-40 in RTP, is 25 miles. The I-40 distance is 20 miles (Exit 259 to Exit 279). So the I-40 route is the shorter expressway distance between these points.

mvak36

Quote from: english si on June 22, 2015, 04:44:30 AM
I-640 is to be the number for the Raleigh outer belt, should they finish it.


So would 640 replace 540 once the loop is completed?
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bob7374

Quote from: mvak36 on June 22, 2015, 10:39:33 PM
Quote from: english si on June 22, 2015, 04:44:30 AM
I-640 is to be the number for the Raleigh outer belt, should they finish it.


So would 640 replace 540 once the loop is completed?
Not as currently proposed. The remainder of the Outer Loop is to be a continuation of the NC 540 Triangle Expressway Toll Road with the next section to be built (according to the recently approved 2016-2025 State TIP) from the NC 55 Apex Bypass to US 401 starting in 2018. The next section to be constructed is to be from US 401 to I-40 in 2022, then I-40 back to US 64/264 (I-495) in 2025.

WashuOtaku

Quote from: mvak36 on June 22, 2015, 10:39:33 PM
Quote from: english si on June 22, 2015, 04:44:30 AM
I-640 is to be the number for the Raleigh outer belt, should they finish it.
So would 640 replace 540 once the loop is completed?

That was the original plan nearly two decades ago; that is no longer the case thanks to the toll roads.  What exists today of I-540 will remain; Toll NC 540 will be the remainder of the futre loop.

bob7374

I have posted photos taken over the past few weeks at both the western and eastern ends of the Connector Project showing construction progress on my Future I-885 site: http://www.gribblenation.net/ncfutints/fut885.html

The Ghostbuster


WashuOtaku


bob7374

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on February 25, 2016, 04:01:28 PM
Any updates on Interstate 885?
Here's a news report from a couple weeks ago about a traffic shift of the southbound lanes of the Durham Freeway needed for East End Connector construction: http://abc11.com/1198749/

bob7374

I have added photos contributed to my site showing East End Connector construction taken along US 70 West in Durham last weekend. They can be accessed on my Future I-885 page:
http://gribblenation.net/ncfutints/fut885.html

The Ghostbuster

I heard there was a plan to make NC 147 south of Interstate 40 NC 885. Is that still the case, or will the existing NC 147 designation remain corridor-wide?

wdcrft63

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on October 31, 2016, 04:35:44 PM
I heard there was a plan to make NC 147 south of Interstate 40 NC 885. Is that still the case, or will the existing NC 147 designation remain corridor-wide?
The signage plan for the East End Connector project indicates that NC 147 and I-885 will be concurrent southbound from their interchange, so probably the NC 147 designation will remain. See the gribblenation page, near the bottom:
http://www.gribblenation.net/ncfutints/fut885.html

orulz

I think that NC147 should be retired completely, and the leg of the Durham Freeway that extends west from the EEC should be resigned as US 70. The EEC itself then becomes a short multiplex of US 70 and I-885. I know I have suggested this before but I can't remember if it was here or elsewhere.

LGL44VL


74/171FAN

Quote from: orulz on November 01, 2016, 01:38:20 PM
I think that NC147 should be retired completely, and the leg of the Durham Freeway that extends west from the EEC should be resigned as US 70. The EEC itself then becomes a short multiplex of US 70 and I-885. I know I have suggested this before but I can't remember if it was here or elsewhere.

LGL44VL


However, there is still the tolled portion of NC 147 that connects to NC 540.  That is why it remains more than anything else.


I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

orulz

My understanding is that as of a year or two ago there is no longer an all-out ban on tolls for interstate highways, but I am not sure of the specifics and whether that could apply here or not. But if it is not applicable then resigning the toll portion of NC147 as NC885 would be an option.

Anyway I like the idea of minimizing multiplexes where it makes sense. The current plan has US 70 over the northern part of i-885 and NC147 over the southern part.

LGL44VL


wdcrft63

Quote from: orulz on November 01, 2016, 01:38:20 PM
I think that NC147 should be retired completely, and the leg of the Durham Freeway that extends west from the EEC should be resigned as US 70. The EEC itself then becomes a short multiplex of US 70 and I-885. I know I have suggested this before but I can't remember if it was here or elsewhere.

LGL44VL
I thought about this, too, but I don't think it's an idea that has any support in Durham.

The Ghostbuster

When Interstate 885 is completed to NC 147, will the exit numbers on NC 147/Interstate 885 remain the same? And will the exit numbers on the solo portion of Interstate 885 count upwards from the 147/885 junction with Interstate 40?

orulz

It would make the most sense, for I-885, for the exits and mileposts to be counted from where it ends, at I-85 - don't you think? Not sure any official announcement has been made.

LGL44VL


bob7374

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 02, 2016, 01:57:28 PM
When Interstate 885 is completed to NC 147, will the exit numbers on NC 147/Interstate 885 remain the same? And will the exit numbers on the solo portion of Interstate 885 count upwards from the 147/885 junction with Interstate 40?
No and Yes. There will be new numbers. According to the sign plans, some of which are posted on my I-885 site, the exit at the split of NC 147 and I-885 North is to be Exit 4, while the I-70 East exit on the other side of the Connector will be Exit 6 and the existing Cheek Rd exit on US 70 will become Exit 7. The Cornwallis Rd exit at the southern end will be Exit 1.

CanesFan27

Quote from: bob7374 on November 02, 2016, 04:31:05 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 02, 2016, 01:57:28 PM
When Interstate 885 is completed to NC 147, will the exit numbers on NC 147/Interstate 885 remain the same? And will the exit numbers on the solo portion of Interstate 885 count upwards from the 147/885 junction with Interstate 40?
No and Yes. There will be new numbers. According to the sign plans, some of which are posted on my I-885 site, the exit at the split of NC 147 and I-885 North is to be Exit 4, while the I-70 East exit on the other side of the Connector will be Exit 6 and the existing Cheek Rd exit on US 70 will become Exit 7. The Cornwallis Rd exit at the southern end will be Exit 1.


Bob would you mind sharing the link to the entire signing plans again.  It's been awhile and it would be helpful

bob7374

Quote from: CanesFan27 on November 02, 2016, 05:00:49 PM
Quote from: bob7374 on November 02, 2016, 04:31:05 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 02, 2016, 01:57:28 PM
When Interstate 885 is completed to NC 147, will the exit numbers on NC 147/Interstate 885 remain the same? And will the exit numbers on the solo portion of Interstate 885 count upwards from the 147/885 junction with Interstate 40?
No and Yes. There will be new numbers. According to the sign plans, some of which are posted on my I-885 site, the exit at the split of NC 147 and I-885 North is to be Exit 4, while the I-70 East exit on the other side of the Connector will be Exit 6 and the existing Cheek Rd exit on US 70 will become Exit 7. The Cornwallis Rd exit at the southern end will be Exit 1.


Bob would you mind sharing the link to the entire signing plans again.  It's been awhile and it would be helpful
No problem. The signing plans can be found at this link:
https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/dsplan/2014%20Highway%20Letting/11-18-14/Plans%20and%20Proposals/Durham%20U-0071%20C203394/Roadway/Part%20III/Signing.pdf
The file is quite large, you will notice southbound, that NC 147 is Exit 5, which makes more sense since it it 2 miles north of Ellis Road, which should be Exit 3.

The Ghostbuster

#73
Since there is a future 285, a 485 beltway, and now an 885 under construction, does anyone know where a 685 might go? Although this is fictional, I'd put 685 along US 74 between Interstate 26 and Interstate 85 at Kings Mountain (as a completed freeway between the two Interstates, of course).

orulz

Given how many x26 options are available, I would save I-685 for something like a future upgrade of I-85 Business through Lexington/Thomasville/High Point.

LGL44VL




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